An albino peacock is a type of peafowl, distinctive for its pure white colour due to total or partial lack of biochromes. Lucius Malfoy kept at least one the grounds of Malfoy Manor.[1][2] It was on top of the hedge when Severus Snape and Yaxley arrived at the Manor for a Death Eater meeting in July 1997.[1] It rustled the bushes as it strutted, alarming Yaxley, who drew his wand, but put it away once he saw the noise's source.[1]

Behind the scenes

Several colour varieties of peafowl have been bred, including white.[3] This differs from albinism, which would cause lack of pigmentation not just in the feathers, but in the skin and eyes as well.[3][4] However, in Chapter 23 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the peacock at Malfoy Manor is explicitly referred to as "albino".

Many have argued that this peacock was, in fact, Lucius Malfoy'sPatronus. It was thought that this proved Lucius was, in point of fact, not a true Death Eater, as Death Eaters cannot produce Patronuses. Despite this, J. K. Rowling confirmed in an interview that this was merely an albino peacock.